THREW Mikes EyEz

Original Writings, Images, Video and Artworks of Mike Hartley

Tag Archives: hawk


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This That There

There I go again, off on another tangent. This must stop. That rage must end.

Okay, I’m better again. Could be the music I just turned up. The prospect of seeing my children and grandchildren this weekend. The thought of the sun appearing tomorrow after a week of absence. Maybe that twitch in my left leg, and right hand can be cured by that manual transmission once I rip the cover off.

I’m sorry, after a week of sitting the traction control button is going to be disabled and the top will be down.

All these things have me looking up. I know I’m behind on some fresh shooting for this week. I captured my favorite Hawk Monday between the rain taking in the view from a power pole in my back yard.

A close-up of a hawk perched on a wooden fence post, surrounded by green foliage.
A close-up of a hawk perched on a wooden post, surrounded by green foliage.

Someone is pretending to ignore me.

A close-up of a hawk perched on a wooden post, showcasing its brown and white plumage against a blurred green background.
A red-shouldered hawk perched on a wooden post, viewed from the side with a blurred green background.

No matter how far he turned his head I bet he never lost sight of me.

A red-shouldered hawk perched on a wooden post, surrounded by green foliage.

Photos by Mike Hartley

And of course, after he finished pretending we looked at each other for a good bit.

I feel kind of creative today. Must be this cleaned up office. I just put a fresh stack of 8×10 semi-gloss in the printer, so I think I’ll make that hum for a bit.

I might try some night shooting when darkness rolls in.

Random Thoughts of the Day

  • I forgot that I really liked the Bob Segar song Shakedown a lot.
  • My mom had beautiful penmanship. I didn’t get that gene.
  • I have a choice to express myself or not. Why waste the opportunity to go wild.
  • Today feels like a day to mess with a telemarketer caller.


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Almost

I like watching a family of woodchucks occasionally come up and feed in my backyard. But today was different. I’m usually very quiet because any noise and they bolt back to the wooded nest and tunnels. It had been about 2 minutes just watching him graze and then I saw him move faster than any time in the past.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see this hawk swoop in with incredible speed and throw on some air brakes. His timing is off and woodchuck makes it back to the woods. I had my camera, but I was looking through a screen. And it all happened so fast I didn’t even have a chance to reach for it.

I’ve got to start sitting outside with the monopod and just keep scanning. There is always wildlife in my backyard.

Beauty by Nature. Photo by Mike Hartley


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Visiting Privileges

Some days I just look out my back door and see unexpected visitors. Well not unexpected, just that they appear and disappear at will. Some make a ruckus. Some leave a mess. Others soar and employ stealth. Some slither and sneak.

Today two common friends. One Hawk and one Deer

The hawk just finishes a meal and being taunted by a much smaller opponent.

With the leaves falling this reminds me of the line in movie Predator. When Mac says, “I can see you”

The other having just lost the spots of youth but far from grown deer grazing in my backyard and froze when I opened the door. I was surprised she was still there when I came back with the camera.

Photos by Mike Hartley